"The Death of Stalin" - A comedic take on a terrible time for Russia.

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Critics Say 'the Death of Stalin' Is the 'Funniest' Film of the Year

The Death of Stalin is easily one the the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Incompetent authoritarian leaders, constant dodgy dishonesty, and baffling back and forth decisions. Elevating a difficult transition in the USSR into a fairly lighthearted dry comedy is not exactly an easy task, but Armando Iannucci pulled it off quite well.

None of the strong writing would have worked without the excellent acting. Iannucci assembled a cast that easily pulled off the comedic chops needed to make this scenario funny. Between this and Fargo, Steve Buscemi has made me laugh a lot lately. He does a great job of playing a funny Khrushchev that gets serious when he needs to be. Jeffrey Tambor has been a favorite of mine since watching through Arrested Development, and Jason Isaacs surprised me with his crass comments. I really enjoyed the emphasis on getting lots of unique accents here that get the idea across of how vocally diverse the USSR really was, while keeping the dialogue English. Not really sure if this would have worked in true Russian with subtitles.

The Death of Stalin is funny, short, and enjoyable. The only issue I have with it is the sudden jump to a very serious and dark situation at the end. The reality is, millions of people lived through this transition and many died. It’s funny within the movie that people keep getting shot, but after mulling on it for a bit, it just sits wrong in my mind. Yes, it’s very funny, but these events happened recently (in the great span of history) and many suffered during them. I ultimately feel conflicted about this semi-fictional comedic retelling of a horrible transitional period.

Comments

  1. Leaked and LoadedSeptember 10, 2023 at 7:57 PM

    I do share the sentiment expressed in the statement regarding the sudden shift to a serious and dark situation at the end of the film. While the humor and satire are undeniably entertaining, it is crucial to remember the historical significance and the suffering that occurred during this period. The juxtaposition of comedy and tragedy can leave one feeling conflicted, as it forces us to confront the reality of the events portrayed.

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  2. James BramleySeptember 27, 2023 at 5:24 AM

    My goodness this film was amazing. It was so funny and the acting took it to new heights. One problem the film struggles with historical accuracy, as many of these kinds of films do. For the most parts all the characters are portrayed pretty accurately, some personally traits are played up of the plot or comedic effect, but over all its mostly true to life. Vasily had to be the funniest character. Its the events of the time that the film struggles the most, specifically in the lead up to the funeral. But overall I really loved the movie and all of its historical references. I believe non-other than Gorbachev makes a cameo at the end where they are listening to the concert.

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